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Derby Open Access Centre Celebrates First Birthday in Lister House

Derby Open Access Centre is celebrating after completing a successful first year in the new Lister House premises.

The centre, which opened in temporary accommodation in December 2008 before moving to the new building, was one of the first in the country to offer GP appointments on a walk-in basis and is open 8:00am till 8:00pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Also housed within the building are an addiction service, a 100 hour pharmacy and Lister House Surgery, who employed the expertise of One Medicare’s sister company One Medical, to provide them with their state-of-the-art premises.

Dr Spincer and Partners, from Lister House, were working from cramped premises and portacabins when they sought the help of One Medical. With no possibility of expansion, the only solution was to relocate. After liaising with NHS Derby City and finding a site less than half a mile from the existing practice, One Medical successfully completed Lister House which was officially opened by the Bishop of Derby in June 2009.

Jennifer Brailsford, Centre Manager at Derby Open Access Centre, said: “Lister House is the perfect premises for the centre’s needs. I also think that the incorporation of the addiction service and the 100 hour pharmacy is of great benefit to the local residents. We have had a fantastic first year here and we look forward to continuing to grow our healthcare provision for the local community”.

Derby Open Access Centre is on St Thomas Road, in close proximity to the city centre. Anyone can come to the centre for an appointment with a doctor or nurse, without booking an appointment. The centre is also now registering patients, call 01332 275 610 for more information.

City's Open Access Health Centre offers us all a choice, says minister

HEALTH minister Ben Bradshaw has been to Derby to visit one of the first centres in the country where patients can see GPs without an appointment.

Mr Bradshaw was yesterday invited on a tour of the new Open Access Centre, off Osmaston Road, where you can see a doctor 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

He said the centre, which was the fourth of its kind in the UK when it opened in December, gave working people better access to GPs and was not meant to replace traditional family doctors.

He said: "For some people, particularly elderly people and those with long-term conditions, continuity of care from the family doctor can be very important.

"But for other people – for students, young families, people who move around a lot – what's more important is convenience and access and actually being able to see a GP without having to take half a day off work.